Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Former two-time, two-time Mayor Dick Greco will be honored with a bronze statue of his likeness sitting on a bronze bench.

As soon as March, Tampa residents and tourists will be able to take a seat next to the former mayor, who will be commemorated with a bronze bench and statue meant to honor him for his two stints as Tampa’s mayor.

[Private donors] commissioned sculptor Steve Dickey to mold a bronze statue and bench. Now they are deciding where to put it…

You know ol’ Dicky G. While he was mayor (both times), he never had a chance to rest at all. So it is a nice gesture to honor hizzonner with a life-sized statue just chillin’ on a park bench. Of course, his arm spreads out along the top of the backrest, inviting anyone to come join him. Go ahead, scootch closer, he won’t mind.

But where is this bench gonna end up?

Dick was a big friend of the cops, so perhaps it belongs at the Police Department Museum, where Johnny Law can gaze into the eyes of a hero all their own. In his first term, he expanded capacity of old Tampa Stadium, which helped bring the NFL to town, so maybe it belongs over there on Tom McEwen Blvd. He paved the way for private developers to build new malls on the public’s dime, and got a job with Ed DeBartolo, so maybe his bench belongs in one of our local shopping malls. Of course, he pushed for that trolley deal too, so maybe he should sit on a trolley bench - there’s plenty of room.

In fact, Dick Greco had lots and lots and lots of friends. Regardless of the issue of the day, he made you feel as if you were going to be THEE big winner, and that feeling stuck with most folks for a long time. Because of that, there are many Tampans who would love the chance to sit on a bench with him, so don’t be shocked if some leaders consider this park bench “a tremendous destination point,” and watch as they lobby for placement downtown somewhere.

But we should come up with the most appropriate place in which ol’ Dicky G can relax forever. Where would you put him?

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